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Journalism of Courage
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in a bid to rein in drug peddling, Friday warned the smugglers and those involved in cultivating poppy of tough action if they did not wind up their illegal activities.
The chief minister’s statement came after two people with 20.27 kg of poppy seeds were arrested in Old Boljang village in Kangpokpi district earlier in the day. Four Myanmar-made motorcycles without registration numbers and two single-barrel guns were also recovered from the accused. Officials also destroyed poppy plantations on around 10 acres in the hill ranges adjacent to Old Boljang village as part of the ‘War on Drugs’ campaign of the state government, sources said.
The Chief Minister said that the seizure of the Myanmar-made bikes leads to the suspicion that Myanmar nationals could also be actively engaged in the crime in the state.
Singh said a joint team of Manipur Police, Narcotic and Affairs of Border (NAB), Manipur Rifles (MR) India Reserve Battalion (IRB), and Forest Department destroyed the poppy plantations in the hill ranges but found no one in the village on the day. The CM said that efforts are being made to arrest the village chief and others involved in the cultivation of poppy.
Singh questioned the motive of the offenders to continue with the illegal acts despite the government launching a ‘War on Drugs’ campaign with the support of the public. Singh said that anyone found encouraging the social evil even on social media would also face action. The government will not make any compromise at any cost in the “War On Drugs” campaign, he said.
‘War on Drugs’ campaign launched in 2021 is moving in the right direction with the support of the people, Civil Society Organisations, village chiefs, MLAs, ministers, among others, CM Singh said.
